Best Fitness Activity Tracker in 2018 – Winner Reviews

We decided to test and review some of the best fitness activity trackers of this year. We really loved the Willful Fitness Tracker. This quality-made, affordable fitness activity tracker is designed to offer unrivaled compatibility and plenty of extra modes and features.

Bestoverallpick!

Best overall: Willful Fitness Tracker

Offering an excellent balance between price, quality, and features, this fitness activity tracker comes with a 0.96-inch OLED display screen and a built-in USB charging plug. The tracker lets you explore 14 sports modes and is compatible with numerous apps, ensuring you can always maintain and safeguard your progress.

1. Best Overall Fitness Activity Tracker

Willful Fitness Tracker

Product Rating5 /5

Reviewed by: Max Perzon

If you participate in numerous physical activities, you might be impressed with this fitness activity tracker. Weighing only 2.1 ounces, it supports 14 sports modes, including running, treadmill, walking, basketball, climbing, football, and yoga.

With 0.96 inch OLED display screen, it shows heart rate, distance, calorie burned, steps, pace, and time duration. This device has built-in USB charging plug that is removable from the bracelet. This means that no cable is needed to charge this tracker.

It also features an automatic sleep monitor that lets you check the quality of your sleep every night. It also enables you to turn on vibrations that serve as an alarm clock without disturbing other people in the room.

Compatible with Android 4.4 and above and iOS 7.1 and above, it lets you see incoming calls, receive SMS and notifications from social media apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, Wechat, and Twitter even when your smartphone is in your pocket or bag. It is also compatible with VeryFitPro App, which can be downloaded from Google Play or Apple Store.

Another great thing about this tracker is that it gives a friendly reminder when it is time to relax. This watch also lets you control your smartphone’s camera to capture precious moments.

2. Best Sports Functions Fitness Activity Tracker

Willful Fitness Tracker 2018 Version

Product Rating4.5 /5

Reviewed by: Max Perzon

As another great product from Willful, this fitness tracker also supports 14 sports to help you track your activities. The training modes include walking, treadmill, football, mountaineering, dancing, yoga, and basketball. It lets you monitor your heartbeat throughout the day and tracks your steps, distance traveled, and calories burned.

With 0.96 inch LCD color screen, it displays SMS or calls to make sure that you don’t miss any important messages as you indulge in your workouts. It also lets you receive notifications from Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and other social media networks.

Unlike the previous device we mentioned, this one has a waterproof rating of IP68, which means that it is resistant to submersion up to 3 feet underwater for 30 minutes. This feature allows you to swim or take a bath without having to remove the tracker, making it ideal for those who enjoy water activities.

Busy at work? This watch provides sedentary reminders to make sure that your body is always in a good state.

This device automatically tracks the quality of your sleep and lets you set the alarm to wake you up with gentle vibrations without disrupting others’ slumber. This feature is also useful when you need reminders for important dates, meetings, and events.

Pros and Cons

It supports 14 training sports

IP68 waterproof

Tracks steps, calories burned, distance traveled, and activity time

Monitors sleep and heart rate

Health information syncs to VeryFitPro app

Push notifications may not work sometimes

3. Best Fitness Activity Tracker for Extra Features

LETSCOM Fitness Tracker

Product Rating4.5 /5

Reviewed by: Max Perzon

For those who are looking for a tracker that is a bit lighter than other watches, this device has a slim design and weighs only 0.8 ounces. Wearing this device helps you get reliable information about your cardiovascular health thanks to its 24/7 heart rate monitor. It works with VeryFitPro App, allowing you to see your health analysis and progress.

In addition to tracking all-day activities like distance, steps, active minutes, and calories burned, this fitness tracker also monitors your sleep duration and consistency. It also lets you set silent vibrating alarms to wake you up or remind you of important meetings, events, and more.

Expecting messages or calls? This tracker notifies you of SMS, calendar, call, and SNS from Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and WhatsApp to help you stay connected as you continue with your workouts.

With 0.86 inch OLED screen, there is no need to worry about wearing this watch when washing your hands or running in the rain, as it is IP67 waterproof. However, it is not advised to wear it when swimming, showering, or diving.

This tracker will also remind you to move when you are sitting for an extended period to make sure that your body won’t suffer from prolonged inactivity.

Pros and Cons

Tracks steps, calories burned, heart rate, sleep, and activities

It lets you receive messages and call notifications

Data syncs to VeryFitPro App

IP67-rated

It vibrates gently to remind you to move after inactivity

Heart rate monitor can be inaccurate sometimes

4. Best High-End Fitness Activity Tracker

Fitbit Charge 2 Fitness Tracker

Product Rating4 /5

Reviewed by: Max Perzon

When it comes to monitoring your activities and health, having an app allows you to observe your improvements and daily achievements. This tracker from Fitbit lets you download the Fitbit app where your data syncs automatically and wirelessly. The app is available for Android, iPhone, and Windows devices.

Tracking your all-day activity is no longer a task as this device automatically monitors your heart rate, floors climbed, calories burned, distance, steps, hourly activity, and active minutes. Whether you are playing sports, biking, doing yoga, running or hiking, this device automatically records selected exercises to give you credit even when you forget to choose a workout.

Connecting your smartphone’s GPS also helps you see real-time run stats like distance and pace on your wrist, including a map of your route. With a weight of 1.28 ounces and large OLED screen, it displays texts, calls, and calendar alerts as you focus on your goals.

It also tracks your sleep consistency and duration and wakes you up with silent vibrating alarm in the morning. On top of that, it alerts you when you have been inactive for a long time. It also comes with guided breathing sessions based on your heart rate to help you reduce stress after a long day of work.

It also automatically tracks your sleep stages and duration, analyzing the quality of your sleep according to your heart rate. Your daily, weekly, and monthly sleep quality is analyzed by the app’s sleep trend chart. This device also lets you set the alarm with silent vibrations to help you wake up without disturbing others.

Compatible with iOS 7.1 and above and Android 4.4 and above, you will get call notifications and instant messages directly on the fitness tracker. It also sends notifications from Facebook, Instagram Twitter, WhatsApp, and other social media networks.

With a waterproof rating of IP67, there is no need to worry about splash, rain, and sweat. The tracker can also be used as a camera remote control, allowing you to capture beautiful sceneries or precious moments whenever necessary.

Like other fitness activity trackers, it also features sedentary alert to make sure that you perform quick exercises after a long period of sitting down.

Pros and Cons

IP67 waterproof & Affordable

It has sleep monitor and heart rate monitor

Displays calls and messages

It has sports target setting

Tracks your steps, distanced traveled, calories burned

Silent alarm only vibrates twice

Who Should Get a Fitness Activity Tracker?

Being an active person without an activity tracker is like running without proper shoes. Not much fun, right? Getting your hands on a reliable and versatile fitness tracker with plenty of features is bound to make your adventures more exciting. From tracking your progress to monitoring your sleep quality to silent vibration alarms, these high-tech gadgets will help you stay healthy and get the most out of your training. To help you make the right decision and get your hands on the best fitness activity tracker, we’ve prepared this guide with several products and features to consider before making the purchase!

If you’re not yet convinced, check out our thorough buying guide and other top-rated products to make sure you get what you need to stay active and motivated!

Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or not, you should get yourself an activity tracker. Here’s why!

If you’re already engaged in lots of physical activity, having a tracker will help you monitor your progress and enhance your trainings. It will also provide you with a better overall view of your situation and valuable metrics such as calories burned, heart rate, and distance amongst others.

If you’re not yet convinced that exercise is your friend, on the other hand, having a fitness tracker can help you get motivated to start being more active. With its help, you can set clear goals, measure your performance, and achieve the desired outcome. This will allow you to come up with and surpass new challenges on a constant basis.

Benefits of Wearing an Activity Tracker

There’s more to having a fitness tracker than most people realize. Here’s a thorough overview of all the benefits that these modern gadgets offer:

Personal Accountability: You are your own opponent! Trackers let you go at your own pace, but in the end, you will be solely responsible for the outcome.

Customizable Goals: Set your own goals depending on your activity and the physical state you’re in.

Financial Motivation: Since you’re paying for the tracker, why not use the money you spent as a motivation to keep you going?

Socializing Aspect: While you can keep the data to yourself, many trackers also offer to share your results with others on social media. Some will also let you compete with others.

All-In-One: Besides the focus on physical activity, most trackers also come with various notifications, such as SMS and call alerts, reminders, and alarms. They will even monitor and analyze your sleep.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Fitness Activity Tracker

Before you make the final call and choose your champion, here are some of the features you should consider to ensure you get what you need.

Modes and Features

Some trackers also often additional features such as display of notifications from mobile devices, silent vibrating alarm, sedentary alerts, camera remote control, and so on. There are also those that offer over a dozen different sports modes for you to choose from to get the ideal metrics.

Carefully consider all of the features that the product offers before purchasing it.

Compatibility

If you’re tech-savvy, you probably want to have a tracker that you can connect to multiple devices and one that supports plenty of apps.

Fortunately, many fitness trackers are now compatible with apps such as Facebook, Instagram Twitter, and WhatsApp and will forward and display notifications deriving from these apps on the screen. They might also allow you to share your achievements on these platforms.

Furthermore, some trackers also let you connect to iOS, Android, or Windows devices and automatically sync all of the data throughout your training session.

Screen Size

There are also plenty of trackers without a screen, but we suggest you invest in a gadget with a screen due to convenience the screen offers.

Most screens range anywhere from 0.80 inch to 1.50 inch. Note that bigger screens offer a better overview of the data but come at the cost of being heavier and a tad more inconvenient to carry around your wrist.

Water-Resistance

Depending on your activities, you might need a tracker that is waterproof. While even some of the high-end products don’t offer water resistance, those that do are typically rated IP67 or IP68.

The IP67 rating indicates that the tracker is dust-proof and offers protection against ingress of water. It can’t, however, guarantee protection when fully immersed in water.

Products with the IP68 rating, on the other hand, can be fully immersedunderwater for a specific period of time. This feature makes them ideal for those participating in water sports.

Design

Are you after a sporty or elegant design? Make sure that the tracker you buy will suit your activities and that it won’t limit your performance in any way. For example, if you engage in a lot of hand movements during your activities, trackers with large screen might pose an obstacle.

Price

Don’t bother with the price too much when it comes to choosing a fitness tracker. While more expensive products normally offer more features, you won’t necessarily need all of those. To avoid overpaying for a tracker, list down your requirements and buy the product that fits the list.

Does It Match My Goals?

This is a crucial factor to consider when thinking about buying an activity tracker. You are advised to figure out what exactly your goals and expectations are before deciding anything.

If your goal is to lose weight, you’ll definitely want a track that focuses on the number of calories burned and offers features that can help you achieve your weight loss milestones.

If you are very active, you might consider getting a more advanced tracker that offers different sports modes and will detect the activity you engage in on its own. Such trackers will also monitor your heart rate 24/7.

If you don’t intend to focus on training and simply want a gadget to monitor your daily activity and assist you in other tasks, look for a tracker that offers extra functions such as sleep monitoring, notifications display, silent alarms, etc.

How Can Regular Physical Activity Help Me?

Being active doesn’t necessarily mean you have to run ten miles a day. Any type of physical activity you regularly do, such as walking, swimming, jogging, or playing basketball, for example, can make you a physically active person.

Why does it matter? In general, people who engage in lots of physical activities are healthier and happier than those who don’t. Here are some of the top benefits of regular exercise backed by research!

1. Makes You Happier

As we exercise, our stress, depression, and anxiety levels drop significantly. This occurs due to increase in production of endorphins, brain chemicals responsible for introducing positive feelings and reducing pain perception, as we exercise.

Fortunately, even low-intensity workouts have been proven useful in boosting one’s mood.

2. Increases Energy Levels

While exercise indeed calls for extra energy use, it also raises your energy levels in return. According to several studies, people with persistent fatigue, whether due to sedentary jobs or chronic issues, experienced significant improvements after being exposed to regular physical activities for prolonged periods.

3. Helps with Weight Loss

In conjunction with a healthy diet, physical activity is the key to a healthy weight. According to various experts, inactivity is the main reason behind obesity and weight gain.

While reduced calorie intake may help as well, this action also results in lowering metabolic rate, meaning your weight loss gets delayed. As research shows, regular exercise can help increase metabolic rate and burn calories faster.

4. Improves Muscle Health

Physical activity is naturally also vital to keeping your muscles well-developed. As we age, our muscles tend to slowly deteriorate, often leading to disabilities and injuries. Regular exercise can help you reduce muscle loss and maintain much-needed strength as you age.

5. Improves Overall Health

Regular exercise can help you lower your blood pressure and fat levels, and in some cases even counter diabetes. Physical activity is also one of the main factors that can protect you from various chronic diseases.

6. Boosts Brain Health

Exercising has been shown to significantly improve brain functioning and one’s cognitive abilities such as memorizing and information processing. As you exercise, an increase in blood flow ensures your brain receives the optimal supply of oxygen. Additionally, it also promotes sound sleep.

Workout Plan

Having a workout plan in place will ensure that you didn’t buy that fitness tracker in vain. To make sure you stay on the right track and engage yourself in being physically active on a daily basis, we advise you to come up with a weekly or monthly workout plan.

First of all, try preparing a list of activities you enjoy the most. It can be anything physical such as running, swimming, hiking, or weightlifting for example.

Next, come up with an exercising schedule and merge it with your chosen activities. If possible, try to schedule exercise for at least five days in a week. Not enough time? Even a 5-minute workout is much better than no moving at all.

Conclusion

With a high-quality fitness tracker wrapped around your wrist, you will no longer have to worry about measuring your steps and calories burned. Plenty of products also offer other exciting features such as sleep monitoring, silent alarms, and different sports modes for your convenience.

Despite huge development in smart technology, you should be careful when picking your new band. Not all products perform the way their manufacturers claim they do. Also, your specific needs and wants will greatly determine which product is the best one for you. To come up with a well-informed decision, you are suggested to go through our buying guide again, list down everything you want your tracker to have, and compare the requirements with the presented products.

While Willful Fitness Tracker made its way to the top of our list thanks to a great balance between the price and quality, all of the trackers introduced have something unique to offer. If you already have an idea of what you need, feel free to select the best fitness activity tracker and bring your training to the next level!